Welcome, readers of SCO! You are part of a very lucky and blessed group to have come across the last Ask Chips this year. We know, we will be dearly missed.
Students in the Math, Science and Computer Science Magnet participated in an Envirothon competition at the Montgomery Soil Conservation District building in Derwood, MD on Wednesday.
The enormous, overstuffed burrito is a delicacy revered by all Blazerkind; the softly tortilla-wrapped bundle of joy possesses the power to satisfy both the stomach and the soul. Naturally, many Blazers (or at least, this reporter) find themselves heading to Downtown Silver Spring afterschool to feast upon these football-sized packs of deliciousness. This reporter delivers the SCOfficial verdict on the best burrito joint.
Japanese officials increased the threat level at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant from a five to a seven, the highest level on the international scale for nuclear accidents.
The U.S. Supreme Court is very good at its job. And as unfortunate as it may be, this means that Americans will occasionally be disappointed, if not outraged, by certain rulings. The most recent example of such a situation occurred this past Wednesday, when the court ruled that the First Amendment protected the infamous Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) members' right to lead anti-gay protests at military funerals.
Our resident food and film SCOnnoisseurs Allison and Anya are here to bring you sensational ideas for baked goods inspired by this year's Oscar nominations for Best Picture.
As unrest in the Middle East continues, Libyan protests initiated last week hit the nation's capital of Tripoli on Monday. Military forces killed dozens of protesters and arrested many more.
Yesterday, a group of students and several staff chaperones visited the White House for a brief tour. Blair administration organized the visit after Principal Darryl Williams received an e-mail invitation from The Office of the First Lady several weeks ago.
B minor asks "When's the next bag of Ask Chips coming out!!?"Right now, so prepare yourselves, mortals.
Jan. 9 - Southern Sudan began a historic, week-long independence referendum in which thousands of exiled Sudanese returned to their villages. They will vote on seceding from an oppressive north government.
Dec. 14 - German doctors claimed HIV/AIDS and leukemia patient Timothy Ray Brown cured after using a bone marrow transplant to treat his cancer in 2007. Brown's donor, who had a genetic mutation known to give patients a natural immunity to the HIV, and apparently eradicated Brown's virus.
A recent post in the Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission's (M-NCPPC) blog The Straight Line discussed the possibility of developing bike networks throughout the county.
It's December. It's cold. There's really very little to do but pretend to study and pace around the house in fuzzy slippers. But thankfully, ‘tis the season for primetime TV to deliver some of its best material with a holiday twist.
The Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE) unanimously elected Christopher Barclay president of the BOE and Shirley Brandman as vice president of the BOE on Tuesday. Both assumed their respective offices immediately after election. Barclay served as the previous vice president of the BOE from 2009 to 2010.
Nov. 10 – NASA delayed the launch of space shuttle Discovery, which was initially scheduled to for Nov. 1, due to cracks in the fuel tank. Discovery will take a Pressurized Multipurpose Module (PMM) Leonardo and the ELC-4 to the International Space Station. Initially, the launch was delayed due gas leaks and then due to weather.
A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there once was a Silver Chips staple called Ask Chips (AC).
The Siemens Foundation recognized two Blair seniors as regional finalists in the team division and four seniors as semi-finalists in the individual division in the 2010 Siemens Competition on Oct. 22.
Junior Daniel Muskin-Pierret is a dedicated Latin student, but when he strolls into his Latin 3 class each day something is off, for Muskin-Pierret sits surrounded only by Latin 1 students.
Oct. 13 – 69 days after the Copiapo mine collapse, rescue teams brought all 33 trapped Chilean miners safely to the surface.
It was near the end of last school year that the administration had their spark of dull inspiration to block off parts of Blair Boulevard during lunch periods.
Two Metro buses collided on University Boulevard near Brunett Street this morning at around 7 a.m.
The Blair Thespians will perform "Sex & Swords: A Festival of Plays in One Act” this Friday in the Blair auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for adults.
Senior Anand Oza was selected as a member of the 2010 U.S. Physics Team. From May 21 to June 1 at the University of Maryland, Oza will train and compete for a spot to participate in the 41st International Physics Olympiad (IPhO).
Summer is almost upon us, and among the activities you can do in the sun, eating is one of the most appealing. We here at Silver Chips Online have compiled a detailed guide to perfect picnicking.
Senior Ernie Slenkovich takes a deep breath as the lights beams down on stage, bouncing shards of light off the brass cymbals and obstructing his view of the screaming crowd only feet away.
Blair's boys' varsity lacrosse team (1 - 8) lost to Richard Montgomery (3 - 6) 10 - 6 on Senior Night this Tuesday in a game that displayed outstanding offensive strategy. "It was one of our best games of the season," sophomore Evan Horne said.
Under the pressure of muggy 80-degree weather, Blair's boys' varsity lacrosse team (1 - 7) fell to the Magruder Colonels (4 - 4) 12 - 2 on Saturday.
The Student Government Association (SGA) announced the results of the school elections today, declaring junior Adam Biru SGA President and junior Christina Stiles SGA Vice President for the 2010-2011 school year.
They captured millions with their gelled hair, tanned skin and tireless fist-pumping. This year Americans bonded with the young, party-loving Italian-Americans who spent an eventful summer together in one beach house on the shores of New Jersey. Now there is news to celebrate for reality television addicts - several spin-offs of MTV's "Jersey Shore" will be crashing on land.
The Walter Johnson boys' varsity lacrosse team (5 - 1) trampled Blair (1 - 5) 15 - 0 on Tuesday, although the Blazers put forth their strongest effort.
Each year, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students attend school in fear. They fear their peers who will bully them because of their sexual orientation and gender expression. And each year, students at schools across the nation support this sound cause with the power of silence.
Students and faculty were evacuated from Quince Orchard High School at 7:15 a.m. this morning after a suspected gas leak on the third floor of the building.
A small group of girls sits in the center of the room as soft reggae music fills the air. Jacilyn Smith Skupien starts the conversation in a casual manner: "So, what's going on in your lives?" It is not long before all the girls in the group are revealing the highs, lows and simply funny events that they have experienced in the past week.
Despite an easy victory last season, Blair's boys' varsity lacrosse team (1 - 3) lost to Springbrook (3 - 1) 1 - 8 on Wednesday.
With the arrival of springtime, the flowers are not the only things starting to bloom. After asking Blazers for their latest music picks we compiled a list of rising hits by artists that are springing on the scene. Certainly as the weather heats up so will these songs – giving us faces to follow for many seasons to come.
Director Louis Leterrier certainly had his ambitions in his remake of the 1981 "Clash of the Titans." The film is a gripping tale of a young hero who leads the Grecians to overpower their revered gods by completing a long and treacherous quest.
After the rain cancellation of their first game against Whitman on Monday, Blair's boys' varsity lacrosse team (1 - 0) kicked off their season by defeating Kennedy (0 - 1) 7 - 2. Equipped with a clean slate and distinct confidence, the team broke in their home field with a smooth and sound win.
English teacher Miriam Plotinsky was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Marian Greenblatt Education Fund last week.
The roar of the stadium grows increasingly louder as the player dribbles down the field, dodging opponents in a quick zigzag fashion. The goalie dives to catch the ball mid-air, and as he hits your living room floor you jump - knocking off your 3D glasses.
Though the name implies otherwise, Fractured Prune is perfection. A recent addition to Downtown Silver Spring, the donut shop has a distinct flair that sets it apart from Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts and other chains in the business.
Sophomore Billy Saturno, the 125 lbs 4A/3A regional champion competed at the 3A/4A State Wrestling Tournament at University of Maryland's Cole Field House on Saturday. He was defeated in his first match by decision, 11-5, against Seth Goggin of Stephen Decatur High School.
Sophomore Billy Saturno won the 125-weight regional championship at the 3A-4A West Regional tournament at Sherwood High School on Saturday. The only other Blair wrestler, senior captain Johni Meeks, lost in his first match.
Sophomore Billy Saturno firmly plants his feet on the mat, eyes sending a chilling glare to his opponent only a few inches away.
Though the lights had dimmed, the murmuring of the crowd remained. After a few moments, a lone violin could be heard coming from the shadows of the auditorium, its sweet sound undulating in a gentle melody. Junior Ann Choi played her way to center stage, serenading the audience to silence.
Apolo Ohno flew across the finish line behind Lee Jung-Su and Lee Ho-Suk of South Korea. The roar of spectators packing the Pacific Colusseum shook the rink - Ohno had just emerged as the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian.
The wrestling team finished in 23rd place with 13 points, tying with Kennedy High School, at the county tournament held at Blair Friday and Saturday. Out of the 25 schools that competed, Whitman finished in first with 213 points.
The administration held a staff meeting on Feb. 1 to solicit feedback on different bell schedules that combine block and 45-minute periods, but no decisions about changing next year's bell schedule have been made yet.
When Barack Obama entered the House of Representatives chamber Wednesday night, he received applause from all in attendance. He shook numerous hands and donned his charming trademark smile. But as the president assumed his position at the podium, there was a sense of apprehension in the hall.
Last Tuesday when Haiti was torn apart by a calamitous 7.0 earthquake, charitable forces worldwide were quick to mobilize. Financial, political and social conflicts were immediately put aside to undertake a battle of a much greater magnitude – one simply of righteousness.
In "The Lovely Bones," Director Peter Jackson takes Alice Sebold's best-selling 2002 novel, an innovative tale about death, and brings it to life in a poignant piece that combines raw suspense, heart-wrenching emotion and enthralling charisma.
Damascus defeated Blair's varsity wrestling team 59 - 9 at a dual meet on Tuesday. The majority of the matches were long, showing impressive endurance from both teams. Sophomore Steven Staley and junior Arthur Tsapdong were the only two wrestlers to win their matches.
Twelve seniors were named semifinalists in the Intel Science Talent Search (STS) competition.
The SGA announced today that it collected about 1,950 pounds in donations during its annual food drive, with social studies teacher Marc Grossman's first period class winning first place.
Only the magic of the winter holidays can frost the screens with such glistening screen goodies. Just as we come to treasure traditions during these cold months, we fall back in love with holiday classics. Silver Chips Online has whipped together a dandy assortment of winter holiday entertainment perfect for viewing at any holiday get-together.
Blair's wrestling team defeated Einstein 42 - 24 and lost to Blake 22 - 54 in their first multiple meet of the season on Saturday. Blake defeated Einstein 54 – 5. Coach Jake Scott expressed that considering it was the first meet for a majorly young team, the outcome was satisfying.
She has harnessed the power of a daily hour television slot. She has covered issues present in all races, ages and socioeconomic statuses. So when Oprah Winfrey announced that she would be ending "The Oprah Winfrey Show," the world was rattled.
The exterior design for the new Silver Spring library was finalized and presented to the public on Nov. 7. The new 105,000 square foot library, which will start construction in the spring of 2011, will be located on the corner of Wayne and Fenton Streets in Silver Spring, according to county project manager Susanne Churchill.
Junior Taylor Tingle sits down at the table with her mother and stepfather. Their plates are piled with mouth-watering turkey, accompanied by fluffs of stuffing, complementing the tangy cranberry sauce – the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. It is a typical holiday meal scene – except Thanksgiving was several days ago.
The federal government's past policies on medical marijuana produced the following side effects: distorted perception, issues with logic and problem-solving and delusion. The amount of illegal drug users and dealers in the country shows the government's War on Drugs has been in vain. But at last, a new policy from the Obama administration will provide sanity in the long-drawn conflict.
Disney's "A Christmas Carol," is the latest in the long line of film adaptations based on Charles Dickens's 1843 classic of the same name. In this brilliantly animated re-creation, Jim Carrey stars as the stingy Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas, but unfortunately falls short in delivering the heart-warming magic.
Blair's cross country girls's team finished ninth and boys's team finished 13th at the 4A West Regional Cross Country Championships at Watkins Mill High School on Thursday. Of the 13 schools that competed, Walter Johnson swept first place for the girls' and boys' races.
It is chilly outside but Blair's media center is warm and inviting. The large audience quietly nibbles cupcakes and cookies as the resonating sounds of voice and guitar wash over them. In the middle of the dreary school day, the Silver Quill open mic has brought student expression alive.
The girls's cross country team finished in 12th place and the boys finished in 21st at the county championships at Gaithersburg High School on Saturday. The girls had an average time of 22:29 minutes. Co-coaches James Demma and Eric Prange thought the teams ran a solid race but could have been stronger. "I was expecting around eighth place," Demma admitted.
Last Wednesday, the school board of the Christina School District in Delaware made a decision to revoke the 45-day suspension of 6-year-old Zachary Christie. The first-grader's initial infraction? Bringing a Cub Scout utensil that combines a fork, spoon and knife to school for his lunch.
Blair hosted a group of 94 students visiting Washington, D.C. from Kaichi High School in Tokyo, Japan on Friday. Blazers enrolled in Japanese class escorted the students throughout the day, giving them an opportunity to tour Blair, eat a school lunch, observe a class and participate in games and performances.
As Jenny Sholar rounds the curve, the finish line is in sight. With a kick of adrenaline, she closes in on the solo runner in front of her and narrows the distance between them. With a final burst of energy, she pushes past her opponent and races across the finish line, ending with a thrilling sense of satisfaction.
Despite ceaseless rain and 40 degree temperatures, Blair's cross country girls' and boys' teams came in first and second respectively at the first annual Downcounty Consortium (DCC) Cross Country Championships hosted by Northwood High School. The Blazers competed against Northwood, John F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein and Wheaton high schools.
Both the boys' and girls' Blair cross country teams fell to the Wootton Patriots in a dual divisional meet at the Blazers' home course. Juniors Theresa Regan, Jenny Sholar and freshman Jinhie Skarda finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, claiming the top spots for the Blair girls. Wootton swept the top seven spots in the boys' race, clinching a decisive victory for the Patriots.
Blair's cross country team has designated Wheaton Regional Park as their new home course for the 2009 fall season. Cross country coaches James Demma and Eric Prange chose the location after having their request for a new course approved by Sean Pelkey, the Quince Orchard cross country coach in charge of the county's high school cross country program.
As they broke in their new home course at Wheaton Regional Park, Blair cross country proved formidable against Gaithersburg in their first dual divisional meet of the season. For the girls (1-0-0), juniors Jennifer Sholar and Theresa Ragen and sophomores Myla Sapp and Kathryn Klett finished in the top seven. Though the boys lost, junior captains Gabriel Pollak and Jeremy Ardanuy along with juniors Anthony Curcio and Connor Dowd were able to clinch high rankings.
Bringing together comedic veterans Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper to execute a worthy comedy seems simple for the dynamic duo; however, the sparse laughs amongst the poor screenplay can hardly cover the fact that the feeble characters in this film are hardly more suitable for the actors than Bullock's new shaggy blonde 'do.
The opponents: the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and the White House family. The source: the Healthy School Campaign's posters advocating a healthier lifestyle for the youth of America. It's not your typical food fight.
In any sport, the job of the referee is to call out fouls and resolve disputes. But every so often the referee makes a bad call, and every so often it is not unintentional. Such is the situation in the case of People v. Eric Frimpong.
Dinosaurs during the ice age? Such an unfathomable idea is brought to life by director Carlos Saldanha in the third installment of 20th Century Fox's adventurous prehistoric franchise, "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs." The quirky herd is back for another lunatic adventure.
Students raised $780 towards a New Orleans rebuilding trip during a fundraiser concert held on Wednesday. The trip, which will be held in July and is led by Blair juniors Sam Elkind and Leah Ragen, is in partnership with the St. Bernard Project, a non-profit organization that rebuilds homes in St. Bernard Parish of New Orleans.
The bottom layer of the cake involves three colors; one could go so far as to make a fourth cake layer to represent "limbo."
The mixed layers provide for an overall twisted feel, true to the nature of "Inception."
The middle layer of the cake involves two colors of batter, signifying a "dream within a dream."
Leonardo DiCaprio approves of this cake.
Use a measuring cup to drop batter in concentric circles.
The dough should have a moderately rough texture when scooped onto the baking sheet.
Billy Saturno wrestles at the county tournament.
The referee watches closely as Chen holds down a Titan wrestler.
Junior Peter Leonard bursts forward with an energetic kick as he closes in on the finish line.
Junior Connor Dowd presses past a Wheaton runner.
Junior Theresa Regan, sophomore Hannah Buchek, sophomore Myla Sapp and freshman Jinhie Skarda run in a pack to get ahead of other schools.
Blazers rock the stage at ReNew Orleans on Wednesday.